View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerThe building at 3619 Walton Avenue in Cleveland's near West Side is the home for the Occupy movement in Cleveland. Anthony Hayne, one of the five suspects arrested in the bombing attempt of the Route 82 bridge between Sagamore Hills Township and Brecksville, is listed on the lease.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- One of the five self-described anarchists arrested last week for attempting to blow up a local bridge signed the lease for a West Side warehouse where about a dozen members of the Occupy Cleveland group live.

In a one-hour recording of a Friday evening general assembly meeting of the group posted on its website http://occupycleveland.com/live-stream/, occupy leaders expressed concern about Anthony Hayne's name being on the lease, which strengthens his link to the group.

"We have a person facing terrorism charges on the lease of our warehouse," said one of the leaders. "If this gets into the media, it would be a disaster."

When announcing the arrests last week of Hayne and four other men, federal authorities described them as members of a radical fringe of Occupy Cleveland. the five remain in jail with court appearances scheduled for Monday.

Hayne, 35, of Cleveland, has a criminal record dating to 2000. He was one of five men arrested by the FBI and charged with setting fake explosive charges under the Ohio 82 bridge between Sagamore Hills Township and Brecksville Monday night.

An FBI affidavit said Hayne helped plan the bombing attempt. It also said he was one of a group that last Sunday picked up a duffel bag containing smoke grenades and gas masks, as well as two black boxes that the suspects thought contained bombs.

Joseph Zitt, spokesman for Occupy Cleveland, told The Plain Dealer Saturday that when they learned Hayne was arrested in the terrorism plot, the organization started working to get his name off the lease at the 3619 Walton Avenue property.

"The landlord said it would be fine to change the name. We're working that out now," Zitt said.

Zitt said Hayne happened to be on hand when the organization leased the warehouse to store items and serve as housing for some members.

"We needed a name on the lease, and he agreed to be it," Zitt said. "I want to stress that rent [$600 a month] for the warehouse was paid directly to the landlord. No money was ever given to Hayne."

The group's income comes from contributions, it was said at Friday's general assembly meeting.

Occupy Cleveland is thinking about moving from the warehouse.

During the general assembly meeting, one leader asked the group, "Is it just me? Aren't you uncomfortable living in a warehouse where a guy has been arrested for terrorism? I don't want to live in a place and have the FBI show up."

Another member said the group was having problems with neighbors near the warehouse, strengthening the argument to move.

At the meeting, the leaders ousted a man from the movement who is known only as "Crazy Larry" because he assaulted another member the night before.

"He thought the member had some information about the bombing," Zitt said. "He threatened and hit him. We threw him out, and as he left the building he smashed a window and sliced bike tires. He's not the kind of person we want involved with our group."

Zitt said Saturday that Crazy Larry was upset about the bombing.

Zitt stressed the Occupy Cleveland movement is dedicated to non-violence. He said if they had known Hayne and the other four men were considering terrorism, they would have thrown them out.

"These people participated in aspects of the movement, but once we discovered what was going on we decided they could not be part of it," Zitt said. "I wish we had learned earlier."

At the time of his arrest, Hayne was wanted by Cuyahoga County for violating his probation. In January, Hayne pleaded guilty to theft and breaking and entering a Lakewood restaurant and stealing $2,000. He was placed on probation for 18 months. A judge issued a warrant for his arrest in April.

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